Graham Crackers

If you’ve only ever known graham crackers from a sealed box, this from-scratch version is going to surprise you. Real homemade graham crackers are nuttier, deeper, and more satisfyingly crisp than anything off a grocery shelf, and they’re not difficult to make. The catch is the overnight rest in the fridge.

Four cups of graham flour is the soul of the recipe. This coarsely ground whole-wheat flour is what gives graham crackers their distinctive sandy texture and toasty, slightly bran-y flavor. Don’t substitute regular whole wheat. The grind is wrong and you lose the character.

Two cups of brown sugar plus a cup of granulated brings the right molasses-leaning sweetness, and a full cup of vegetable shortening delivers the crisp snap. Butter would melt too fast at 350°F (180°C) and leave you with greasy crackers.

The overnight chill firms the dough so it rolls thin without tearing. Roll it as thin as you can manage. Thicker dough makes crumbly cookies, not snappy crackers.

Pro Tips

• Roll between two sheets of parchment to avoid adding too much flour, which toughens the dough.
• Score the rolled dough into squares before baking and prick each cracker with a fork for the classic graham look.
• Watch carefully in the last 2 minutes. The crackers go from golden to burnt fast.
• Cool completely on a rack. They crisp up significantly as they cool.

Variations

• Add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and ½ teaspoon of ginger to the dry ingredients for a warmer, spicier cracker.
• Brush the tops with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar before baking for cinnamon grahams.
• Use these to make homemade s’mores or crush them for a homemade graham cracker crust.